COLUMBUS – Ohio’s Attorney General is reminding Ohioans who are in love online to avoid romance scams this Valentine’s Day.
Attorney General Dave Yost says his office’s Consumer Protection Section received 57 complaints of possible romance scams in 2019 reporting losses totaling almost $4 million.
“A fake online romance can break your heart and the bank. Knowing how to spot the red flags can keep bad love from getting worse,” Yost said.
Consumers who suspect an unfair or deceptive sales practice should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office or 800-282-0515.
The con artists often say they live overseas and need money because of a medical emergency or to leave their country. In many cases, they pretend to be in the military, Yost said.
He cited the case of a Clinton County woman who said she lost $475,000 to someone she met on a dating website who claimed to be in Egypt. She sent money by credit card, cash and gift cards, believing the person needed help paying to ship goods internationally.
A woman in Richland County woman describes how someone on a dating website scammed her into sending $300,000 by wire transfer, supposedly so the person could pay for hotels and attorneys.
To avoid being scammed, Yost says online daters should research people they meet online and not rely solely on what they tell you, be cautious of people who claim it was “destiny” or “fate” that brought you together, talk to friends and family members about any online relationships,
He also cautions consumers not to send money to someone they’ve only met online and to be skeptical of requests asking for money via wire transfer, money order, prepaid money cards or gift cards.
Yost says these are the preferred tools of the online romance scammer.